


Thank God It's Monday

by iloveromance



Category: Growing Pains (TV 1985)
Genre: F/M, Father-Son Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-12
Updated: 2017-07-12
Packaged: 2018-12-01 05:37:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 670
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11479761
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iloveromance/pseuds/iloveromance
Summary: Mike finds that he is apprehensive about returning to school on Monday after being ridiculed at a party where kids were using cocaine. Luckily there is one family member who understands better than Mike realizes. (Episode: Thank God It's Friday)





	Thank God It's Monday

  


It was the day that Mike had been dreading since the moment that he arrived home from the party. And he was certain that it would be the second worst day of his life; the worst being Friday. Even now, three days after it had happened, he still couldn't believe it. Never in his life did he dream that he would be at a high school party where everyone was using cocaine.

He'd never felt such pressure. He knew that using drugs was wrong, but he couldn't get over the way some of those kids were laughing at him when he declined their offer to "go to the bathroom" (where the drug use was taking place), and even Eddie and Boner seemed to think he was a geek for not following the crowd.

The talk that he'd had with his dad that night had helped. It helped a lot. He didn't expect his dad to understand or to be so calm about it, but the truth was that his dad wasn't like other dads. He knew his eldest son, perhaps better than Mike knew himself.

Wearily Mike climbed out of bed and looked round the room trying to focus. His first thought was to grab the jeans that he'd dropped on the floor and put on a shirt that didn't smell like the plague, but at the last minute he changed his mind. In a move that even he didn't believe, Mike tossed the jeans and the smelly shirt into the hamper. And then he opened his closet door and reached inside, opting for a worn (but clean!) Dewey High School sweatshirt and a pair of jeans (also clean!). He dressed quickly and then brushed his teeth and went downstairs to the kitchen.

As he expected, his mother was there and she looked up in surprise. "Mike I was just going to come upstairs and wake you for school!"

"Mike's almost an adult, Maggie! Isn't that right, Mike?"

Mike smiled at his father, who moved the edge of his newspaper down and winked at him. It was funny… they'd only had a brief conversation two days earlier when he had come home late from the party on Friday night but that conversation seemed to have changed their relationship dramatically. They hadn't spoken of the party since. Mike was busy and so was his dad, but there was no denying that the party had been heavily on their minds.

Now they stood face to face and Mike wondered if his dad was feeling the same kind of awkwardness that he was feeling.

"Um… Mike, did you… think about what we talked about on Friday night?"

The relief that they were finally discussing what had happened was immeasurable, although Mike would never admit it. Still, he couldn't help himself. "Think about it?

Dad, I haven't been able to think about anything else!"

"Well, you did the right thing and I'm proud of you."

The flush hit Mike's face almost immediately. "Thanks Dad."

"Anytime. Now hurry up and eat your breakfast so that you can get to school."

At the word school, Mike cringed. But once again his dad somehow seemed to understand.

"Look, Mike… I know how hard it's going to be, going back to school and facing all of those kids, but as long as you believe in your heart that you did the right thing, everything will be just fine."

Mike shook his head. "I don't know, Dad…"

"I do."

When his dad hugged him, Mike was grateful that Ben, Carol and his mom were out of sight at the moment. And, feeling like a little boy again, Mike leaned into his dad's embrace.

"I'm proud of you, Mike."

"Thanks Dad."

As he headed out the door on his way to school, he was still a little nervous. But he knew that he could face anything that came his way, because his dad believed in him. And for the first time, Mike was beginning to believe in himself.

THE END


End file.
